"Go home quickly and let your grandma take a good look at you. You can't just not tell her you're injured."
"Okay, Grandpa."
"Make way, everyone make way."
Qian Xiao saw her grandmother pushing aside the people surrounding her. Behind her grandmother were other family members. She finally breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the ground. She was really exhausted.
The old lady was frantic when she saw this: "Eldest daughter-in-law, come quickly and carry Erdan home. Second daughter-in-law, go find your Uncle Zhang to come and take a look at Erdan. Second and third sons, you two take the ox and let's go home first."
The old lady raised her hand in anger, but couldn't bring herself to hit her granddaughter. Instead, she slapped her own thigh: "You brat, are you trying to kill your grandma?"
Upon hearing the old lady's order, the group quickly followed her instructions. The two little wild oxen, having been frightened by Qian Xiao, became obedient and no longer as agitated as they had been when surrounded by people. They obediently followed Qian Xiao's second and third uncles home.
Li Guizhi's tears streamed down her face. Her daughter looked so miserable; there was blood on her face and clothes, and she didn't know how badly she was injured. Her usually energetic daughter was now sitting on the ground, exhausted.
"You brat, just wait till I get home and teach you a lesson! How dare you! You're never allowed to go into the mountains again. If anything happens to you, how will I live?"
"Mom, I'm really fine. I'm not injured. I'm just a little exhausted. I'll be fine after a rest."
The old lady agreed with her eldest daughter-in-law: "Your mother is right. You are not allowed to go up the mountain anymore. You will scare us to death sooner or later."
Qian Baozhu followed behind, intending to take a look. If these two calves could be raised to adulthood, their village would have three cows, which would be of great help during the busy farming season.
"What are you all doing here? Have you finished all your chores at home?" Qian Baozhu was always an authority figure in the village, and those who wanted to join in the fun could only regretfully stop in their tracks.
"How come Erdan is so amazing! He's such a young kid, yet he dares to go deep into the mountains and bring back two calves."
"What's the big deal? Don't forget whose daughter Erdan is. Besides, Erdan has been strong since she was little. I reckon Erdan is much stronger than all of us now, otherwise she wouldn't dare to go into the deep mountains."
"My goodness, those two calves are so adorable."
"What? Envious? Then why don't you go up the mountain and get some too?"
"I can't do that. I know my own limitations. If I go into the deep mountains, I might not be able to come out. I only do what I'm capable of. I'm not the kind of person who has unrealistic ambitions."
"Oh my, you can even use that idiom now? I had no idea you'd become so literary?"
"Get lost, who do you think you are? I can at least read a few words."
Gradually, the topic shifted away from the calf, but people would still pay attention to it later. If it couldn't be raised, it would still have to be killed and eaten. Meat! How long had it been since they had eaten it, especially beef, which was a rare treat.
There are some small animals in the back mountain, and you can catch them occasionally to improve your life. But the problem is that you have a whole family to support, and you can eat as much as you want. Just a little bit of meat would make many people envious.
Old Zhang, panting heavily, leaned against the doorframe and said, "Oh dear, my old bones! You young people have no respect for the elderly at all. I almost broke my old bones running like this."
Auntie was extremely anxious: "Please stop complaining, my Erdan is covered in blood, it looks terrifying. Please take a look at Erdan first before you complain, okay?"
Old Zhang waved his hand weakly: "Alright, alright, I'll go check on that brat first. That brat can't stand not causing trouble every day."
When the old man entered the house, he saw that Qian Xiaoxiao's face was a little pale and she looked a little listless, but she didn't look like she had been hurt.
"Where are you hurt, little girl?" he said, taking Qian Xiao's pulse first, and then letting go of her hand after a short while.
The old man and woman stared intently at Old Zhang, afraid that he might say something unpleasant.
"Well, it's nothing, she's just a little weak. She'll be fine after eating something. I told you she's very strong. She just used too much force and her hands are a little red and swollen. She can come to my place and get some medicated oil to rub on them."
Old Zhang chuckled as he counted the money, "Why are you such a troublemaker? Can't you be like other girls, learning needlework, picking wild vegetables, or something? Why are those deep mountains and forests so attractive to you?"
"Hehe, I was just craving some meat. You wait, I'll bring you something delicious tonight."
"You, you shouldn't have let you learn kung fu from your great-grandfather. You'd be better off without that skill. And that calf, let me see it. If it's healthy, take good care of it."
"The backyard is perfect, could you take a look? It doesn't look very healthy," Uncle San quickly led Old Zhang to the backyard to see the calf, as it was a precious animal and needed to be well cared for.
Li Guizhi came in carrying clothes: "Mom has boiled water for you. Wash up. After you're done, Mom will put some medicine on your hands. Look how swollen they are! Doesn't it hurt?"
Qian Xiao finally had a chance to look at his hands. He had been holding his breath and came back, and sure enough, his hands were swollen and shiny from hitting the bull's head too hard. He hadn't felt any pain until now.
"Mom, don't take a bath yet. I'll go out tonight and take a bath when I get back."
"What did you say? You want to go out again? You better stay home and don't go out unless it's absolutely necessary. If you do it again, my heart won't be able to take it."
Qian Xiao waved her little hands, which were swollen like pig's trotters, and begged her mother to bring her ear closer. She whispered a few words in her mother's ear. The more Li Guizhi listened, the bigger her eyes became. In the end, she raised her hand and gave Qian Xiao's buttocks a few hard slaps.
"You brat, how dare you? Are you trying to scare your mother to death so your father will find you a new stepmother? You brat, I think I'll have to tie you to me with a rope from now on, so you won't keep running into that old forest all the time."
"Ouch, ouch, Mom, please be gentle! It hurts! Grandma, Grandma, your granddaughter has been beaten! Please come and save your granddaughter, Grandma..."
“Serves you right. I think your mother didn’t hit you hard enough. You dare to go anywhere all day long. Your mother should give you a good beating. Guizhi, does your hand hurt from hitting you? Come out and I’ll find you a stick to hit you with.”
Qian Xiao...Are you still my dear grandmother?
Of course, Li Guizhi didn't come back in after she left, and Qian Xiao knew that her grandma was going to save her. Really, that old lady always scared her.
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